Growth performance of Punjabi children aged 6-12 years

The study aims at evaluating the growth performance of primary school children of Patiala (Punjab, India) belonging to lower and lower middle socio-economic groups, with special emphasis on the effects of social class and urbanization. Cross-sectional data on 1380 children (656 boys and 724 girls) ranging in age from 6 to 12 years were collected during 1974. Dimensions measured were height, weight, circumferences of chest and upper arm, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds. Standard techniques (Weiner and Lourie 1969) were followed for taking these measurements. The boys are significantly taller and heavier than the girls, whereas the girls possess significantly more amounts of subcutaneous tissue, from 6 to 12 years. The Punjabi children are taller than the combined Indian sample. On average, the children of the present study are smaller in size and lighter in body weight than the British children and fall between the 3rd and 25th centiles of the British standards. Children belonging to lower and lower-middle socio-economic classes are significantly lighter in body weight and smaller in height than their coevals of higher groups. The urban boys are taller and heavier than their rural peers, however, the differences are not as marked and clear as those of socio-economic groups.